War For The Planet Of The Apes is a fitting conclusion to an incredibly strong trilogy. While it’s not perfect, it caps off this story with an amount of respect to its audience that is not usually seen in mainstream media.

The film cleverly ties in with the original Planet Of The Apes films, making it feel like the trilogy has come full circle. As with all of these films, the effects were amazing and the filmmakers weren’t afraid to shy away from darker material.

But my most important takeaway from this film was very simple. Andy Serkis needs to have an Oscar NOW. I’m serious, his swan song as Caesar is his best performance in Serkis’ already Impressive career. Woody Harrelson was also amazing. In particular, the final confrontation with Serkis and Harrelson was one of the most powerful scenes in the entire trilogy.

That’s not to day that the film is perfect. The ending is a bit convenient and the comic relief felt a tad unnecessary. In my opinion, Dawn was the best of the trilogy. But that shouldn’t dissuade you from seeing the film. It caps off on a great series of films and it’s the perfect note to go out on.

***1/2 out of ****